MARKETING DEPARTMENT

Greymouth Evening Star, 4 December 1940, Page 10

MARKETING DEPARTMENT

DEBATE IN HOUSE. [per press association.] WELLINGTON, December 3. As indicated by the Prime Minister on Friday, to-night’s debate in the House was devoted to the Marketing Department’s report, and when the House met at 7.30, urgency was sought for the consideration of the report to enable the sitting to last until midnight. It was also decided that the speeches should be extended to 30 minutes, instead of the customary 15 minutes. Mr. J. G. Barclay (Govt., Marsden), dealing with the activities of the Marketing Department, said that during the full season the exports handled by the Marketing Division totalled £62,000,000 in New Zealand currency. Of this amount, dairy produce accounted for £25,499,000; meat for over £19,500,000; arid wool for £16,379,000. There were a few other items, such as tallow, woolly skins, etc., which brought the total to £62,569,000. It was a tremendous sale. Mr. Nash was the man who, more than anyone else, had brought about stability in the sale of our produce, and stability to the farmers. The deficit in the Dairy Industry Account totalled £2,160,336; but during the last three months of this season, the butter output from the factories had increased by 27 per cent., and the cheese output by 60 per cent. Mr. F. W. Doidge (Nat., Taurange): You can’t take credit for that.

Mr. Barclay: Of course we can. If it were down, we would get the blame for it! Mr. W. J. Broadfoot (Nat., Waitomo) contended that millions of pounds had been taken out of farmers’ pockets and given to less worthy • members of the community. Mr. Fraser: Who are these less worthy members? Mr. BroadfoOt: People who are not working the number of hours . and getting more wages than the farming community. They are taking money they have not earned. Mr. Broadfoot criticised increased costs of dairy farmers. He said the country was told it was going to be insulated against overseas prices, but the Minister of Marketing had told the Dairy Conference that prices overseas were a factor that had to be considered in the main in fixing the guaranteed price. The insulation theory was one more of theories that had gone wrong. Mr. B. Roberts (Govt., Wairarapa) said that during the last two or three months there had been some fierce criticism of the Minister of Marketing, but he considered that the Minister’s actions had been fully justified by events. The conditions were such that, with only one buyer, namely, Britain, the Government must see that a national policy in relation to farming must operate, at any rate during the period of the war.

FARMERS AND COSTS. Mr. W. S. Goosman ■ (Nat., Waikato) quoted figures to show that the farmer who had capital invested and had to work long hours had his income fixed by the guaranteed price. In many cases he was receiving less, than factory workers who were* handling his products, but factory workers had been getting a five per cent, bonus. The Minister of Marketing knew that dairy farmers did not wish him to ask Britain for more for their produce, but they did want hip to reduce their costs. The Minister of Marketing, Mr.

Nash, gave a detailed account of the procedure followed by the Government in the purchase of dairy produce. Dealing with factory costs, he emphasised that the promise he had given the Dairy Conference stood, namely, that if the sum allowed in the guaranteed price for factory costs were exceeded, the Government would immediately take the matter into consideration. Mr. Nash added he thought that they might strike difficulties, even although an arrangement had been reached with the people at Home, wherein they stated that the agreement which New Zealand had would continue until there was an element of stability in the Home market. That did not alter the fact that New Zealand may be faced, at that time, with an abnormal output, alongside the competition from margarine and from the supplies from other countries. That was the time when the guaranteed price would again receive some consideration. The marketing machinery had been organised as neat' to perfection as anyone said that it could be. That was the testimony of New Zealand’s competitors. With that record, he was prepared to let it go to the farmers of this country, and let them judge when they j knew all the facts. The debate was continued by Messrs Boswell and Dickie. Mr. Barclay briefly replied, and the House rose at 11.45 p.m., until 2.30 p.m. to-morrow. j